Which figure of speech compares two unrelated things using like or as?

• A. Simile
• B. Metaphor
• C. Prefix
• D. Onomatopoeia

Answer: (A)

A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using like or as. The word like or as signals that a direct, explicit connection is being drawn between two different things, helping a reader picture the comparison—such as saying someone’s voice is like velvet or that a day felt as bright as the sun. This explicit use of like or as is what sets a simile apart from other kinds of comparisons, such as a metaphor, which makes the comparison without using those words. The other terms listed aren’t about making comparisons: a prefix is an affix attached to the start of a word, and onomatopoeia is a word that imitates a sound. So, the described figure of speech is a simile.